


Carnations on a Canvas

by xpertangel



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Fluff, I've been so tired of angst and bad news that I just wanted to write something fluffy, M/M, like so much fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-05-29 07:53:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15068603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xpertangel/pseuds/xpertangel
Summary: Simon's never really been one to believe in true love. He's a shy guy with an overactive imagination and a penchant for flowers. When he's not working at the florist with his friend Kara, he's listening to music or hanging out somewhere to let his imagination run wild. One day, while he's passing time at a nearby mall, he meets Markus, a friendly artist whose talent is awe-inspiring. As Markus searches for inspiration in his art and Simon is drawn in by the personality and passions, perhaps Simon's ready to give true love a shot.





	1. People Watching

            Five in the afternoon was the perfect opportunity for people watching. School had been out for a few hours, adults were getting off from work, and practices were ending. Mall rats and average families alike were swarming the fountain in the middle of the triple story building. Simon particularly loved to sit by the Brookstone’s on the second floor, a perfect view of the food court, the fountain, and those by the railings on the upper floors. There was always a large amount of people buzzing about with their mall hauls as they wove between various stalls and stores. He especially loved to make up conversations between the passersby. The more animated they were, the more fun he had doing so.

            Simon ran a hand through his blond hair, popped his earbuds in, and set to work. He needed a nice and easy warmup conversation to get into it, but the first pick of the crowd was always the hardest one. Simon had to start on a good note with a group that seemed mildly entertaining, but not so much that it would be the highlight of his time there. He liked to start by looking around the railings on the upper floors, but as he suspected, it was just a lot of people with their backs to the railing or texting others. Text conversations were never that fun to invent, not that he hasn’t tried. It was just that many people weren’t exactly…expressive texters. Simon himself was guilty of an overenthusiastic reaction to texts from his friend Kara, but the enthusiasm was in text and type alone.  Simon sighed in resignation as he turned his attention down towards the first floor.

            His eyes scanned the food court for any potential candidates. There was a couple with six children sitting and enjoying some ice cream. While the family seemed nice and happy, they were too large of a group for Simon to handle alone, not to mention they were too busy being enraptured with their ice cream. There was a man sitting on the edge of a fountain with what looked like a notebook of some kind in hand. Normally someone alone wouldn’t interest Simon, but the man seemed to be scanning the crowd with as much intensity as Simon was. Suddenly, the man looked up at him, and Simon froze. The stranger smiled and nodded, before Simon looked away, almost ashamed and embarrassed at having been caught. He waited a few moments, and then looked back towards the man at the fountain, who was now busily moving his pencil back and forth across a notebook page. Simon shook his head, and then continued to look around. Finally, he spotted a man in an oversized sports jersey and what looked like a businesswoman sitting at a table, both looking particularly disinterested in anything the other had to say. Perfect.

            “ _All I’m saying is that you never contribute to my fantasy football drafts. If you care about this relationship, I think you need to take an interest in the things I do_ ,” Jersey Boy said as he held up his phone screen to the woman.

            “ _Fantasy or not, it’s still football. Just because your dreams to be a water boy didn’t pan out doesn’t mean that mine haven’t. I’ve scraped and clawed to become the CEO of my company_ ,” she sighed, staring up at the ceiling. “ _I just don’t think this is going to work_.”

            “ _Babe, come on, we’ve known each other since we were kids,_ ” he leaned forward, aggressively defensive. “ _Once my merchandise starts selling, you can take it easy. I’ll be the one to support you one day._ ”

            “Will you buy a jersey that actually fits then?”

            Simon laughed to himself as he said the last line aloud. These two were fun, but just as Simon started to get into the swing and rhythm here, Jersey Boy stood up and walked away. Presumably to the bathroom, because she just kept sitting there. When another man walked by, she stood up and took him by the arm as they walked away. This guy had to be her actual boyfriend. He looked way better put together than the first guy, and they talked and laughed happily to one another. Simon waited, eyes fixed on the table for a few more minutes, but Jersey Boy never returned. Maybe they actually had been childhood friends, maybe they were exes, or maybe Jersey Boy was a client of hers for real estate or something like that? That’s what Simon loved about people watching at the mall; there were so many interesting people for him to see.

            Speaking of interesting people, Simon turned his attention back towards the man at the fountain. The man was still moving his pencil vigorously, though the motions were too broad to be writing. Maybe he was sketching something. He had laser focus as his hand moved across the page, his motions almost to the time signature of the music Simon was listening to. Classical music. The man’s pencil, like a composer’s baton, swept gently, keeping time. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. Simon closed his eyes for a moment as he leaned his head back, taken in by the music. The first movement of Vivaldi’s Winter, common time signature, breathtaking. He opened his eyes again, and turned his gaze back to the man, who was staring directly at Simon. This time however, it was the man’s turn to look away suddenly, as though he were the guilty one. “Now we’re even,” Simon chuckled as he continued to search the crowd.

            Time passed more quickly as he went from couple to group to family, letting his imagination run wild at the prospect of what they were gabbing about. It could be breakups, bad grades, affairs, general gossip, or something worse. On the other hand, it could be great news, like the mother and daughter who hugged after a brief conversation. There was slight hesitation on the daughter’s part, and then two words, before the mom leapt with joy and hugged her daughter, sobbing. Simon didn’t have to guess. He was certain the daughter was pregnant, and smiled to himself. Suddenly the mother could no longer ruin her daughter’s mood or talk down to her by saying things like: “Wait until you’re a mom! Then you’ll understand,” or “Oh my goodness, your studies sound hard. It’s not as hard as being a mom though!”

            Simon silently wished congratulations to the daughter, and wished her the best of luck before turning his attention from them. Now that Simon was in full swing, he looked around again, trying to find the perfect person. There was a group of overexcited teenagers, all looking at one of their group intensely as he boasted about something. No, that was a trap. Simon knew that no matter what he came up with, his conversation would just become childish and immature, filled with nothing but “Yeah bro!” and “Duuuuuuuude,” a tragedy that he could not allow.

            There was a man with two children, each babbling excitedly over one another, while the man smiled at both of them and nodded repeatedly. Those were the kinds of people that made Simon the happiest to see. Parents, fully engaged and encouraging their children, and kids just having a simple zest for life. He could make up nonsensical conversations about purple super heroes who only ate grapes or how the moon is actually a jawbreaker and not cheese like so many thought. Simon didn’t like it when the parents were irritated and uncaring and the children were behaving poorly. It just didn’t sit right with him. At least if the parent was trying to console their kid during an outburst, he knew that they were trying their hardest. Once, Simon was actually brought to tears when he saw a woman crying once by the fountain, and the little girl who had been with her walked over and held her until she stopped crying. That child would be a wonderful adult one day, Simon knew it.

            Curiosity eventually got the better of Simon, and he once again looked towards the fountain where the man had been. The man was standing up to tuck away his pencil and scoop up his bag. As he started walking away from the spot, he had left the book behind! Simon immediately stood up as the man distanced himself slowly from the book and started walking towards the escalator. If Simon picked up the pace, he could tell the man about the book he had left before someone else came along and took it. At the bottom of the escalator, he couldn’t see the man anywhere, so he broke into a jog and made his way over towards the book.

            Simon picked it up and examined it. Its red leather cover had no markings on it, no name, no tag, no title, nothing. He went to open it but stopped. What could he possibly be in the book? Simon had guessed before about drawings, but what if the book had more? His little sister liked to draw, and she heavily guarded her sketch book, so were the contents of this book private too? He hesitated, mulling over possibilities. If it was the man’s sketchbook, he wouldn’t have left it so carelessly by the fountain in the middle of the mall. So, what was it? Was this a different book? Maybe it had instructions on sending it to the owner if it was misplaced inside the cover. He thought of any minor justification he could before throwing caution to the wind in one big ‘fuck it,’ and opened the cover.

            “Oh wow…” Simon gasped.

            Inside there were various portraits and sketches. The first one was of a striking woman with bold features, and curly black hair. She had a powerful air around her that simply radiated off the page. After that, there was a police officer sitting tall in a chair and staring straight ahead, looking as though it were his first day on the job and he was terrified. The still life was impeccable. Sorrow was captured incredibly in a portrait of a sobbing old man, then raw emotion with a couple. Each sketch was beautiful, detailed, realistic, the man truly had a talent. The sketches of objects were just as detailed as some of the portraits.

            One was of an elegant building, the detail immaculate and precise. Even the shading and the shadows were detailed, and all held a consistent angle. Simon thought it looked exactly like he had just snapped a photo of the building or if he was really there in person. He flipped the page to find some flowers. Roses, carnations, lilies. They reminded him of his job at the florist. He had to stop himself from instinctively smelling the flowers, a credit entirely to the artist. Simon stepped back into reality, remembering his original excuse of looking for contact information to return the book. He flipped to the back cover and found nothing before he continued to leaf through the pages. It wasn’t long before he stopped on one page.

            It was Simon.

            On the page, there was a work in progress that looked like him. The light hair brushed off softly to the side, his lips curled into a smile, his jean shirt ruffled slightly. His right hand rested gently on his left shoulder, and the cuff was rolled up as well. Some of the details on the face were still vague, but next to the face there was a note:

            _Would you be so kind as to come back to where you were sitting, so I could finish the sketch?_

            Simon looked up and saw the man sitting where he had just been, waving politely with a warm smile. Simon’s face turned red with embarrassment before he began to make his way shyly back up. He was ashamed of having sat there and blatantly invading the man’s privacy by looking through his sketchbook, but also intrigued by him. Simon took his earbuds out as he approached and handed the book back before sitting down. “I’m sorry I went through your book, I just couldn’t help myself.”

            “And what did you think?”

            “Your work is beautiful. You’re a fantastic artist,” he started. “Why me though?”

            The man stopped for a moment, deep in thought. “In each of my sketches, I try to emulate life and emotion in their rawest form. If you’ll allow me to speak so plainly, I saw your excitement and curiosity as you watched all of us down there. I hope you don’t mind that I return the favor. You’re a good muse, and an even better sketch. I’m quite proud of it.”

            Simon was taken by surprise.

            “My name’s Markus by the way. Markus Manfred,” he extended a hand with a beaming smile.

            “Simon Lambert,” he replied.

            “Nice to meet you, Simon,” Markus laughed. Now that his embarrassment had begun to wear off, Simon finally got a good look at Markus. His buzzcut was dark, and his light brown skin was decorated with faint freckles. He had some five o’clock shadow to match his buzz cut, framing his soft face and giving him an air of maturity. But most intriguing of all were his eyes, Simon thought to himself. One eye was a soft green, and the other was light blue. He’d never seen someone with heterochromia before, so he was taken by the sight. It was exciting and new.  “I’m sorry by the way,” Markus said, interrupting his train of thought. “I like to do candid sketches like this, I know some people find it off putting. I really would like to finish the sketch of you up close, with your permission. I just wouldn’t be able to do your face any justice if I can’t properly see it.”

            “By all means,” Simon agreed, “and there’s no need to apologize. I think it’s intriguing.”

            “If you don’t mind me asking, what were you doing up here?” Markus inquired. “You kept laughing to yourself.”

            “Oh…um…it’s rather embarrassing…” Simon said.

            “Come on, even after you’ve seen my sketches?” Markus teased.

            “Well, I was people watching,” Simon explained.

            “And someone dropped their food? Tripped on a mall bag? Got caught shoplifting something because it was sticking out of their pants and the security people asked them to remove the item, but it got stuck?”

            “No,” Simon laughed. “Nothing like that. I was making up conversations.”

            “That sounds like fun,” Markus said. “I thought you were listening to a podcast or something funny.”

            “No, just some music.”

            “What kind?”

            “Classical, no lyrics and no loud and repetitive bass thumping in my ear to make me lose my train of thought,” Simon said. “Although, I must admit I still do lose my train of thought sometimes, regardless.”

            “I love classical music when I’m working,” Markus smiled. “Same reasons. My father listens to sonatas and waltzes while he’s painting, and I guess that’s a habit that just rubbed off on me. It’s nice and cathartic, helps me to be more in tune when I’m painting or sketching.”

            “Would…would you like to listen to some? I’ve got quite the collection on my phone,” Simon offered. He held out an ear bud to Markus. “My ears are clean, I promise.”

            “Thanks,” Markus replied. “Surprise me.”

            “Oh, okay,” Simon said. He began looking through his collection, mentally crossing some of them off before moving onto other compositions. ‘ _Too loud, too fast, too morbid, ugh just pick something!_ ’ he thought as he scrolled. Eventually he settled upon Chopin’s Nocturne in E Flat Major. “I hope this is okay.”

            “It’s perfect, thank you.”

            Simon sat still for a little while, unsure of what to say, or if he was allowed to do anything. He’d never sat while someone drew him before. Markus liked working to music, but he didn’t want to break his concentration by trying to strike up a conversation with him. Or what if that’s what he did want?

            “So what kind of conversations do you make up?”

            “Excuse me?”

            “When you’re people watching. What kind of stuff do you say?”

            Simon told Markus about the people he’d seen that day and some of the things he’d made up. He also told him about some of his all-time favorites. There was the time that a mother and daughter had just gotten matching stuffed animals from one of the shops in the mall, and not only were the two talking to each other, but they were making their stuffed animals talk as well. It made Simon feel happy, and it was just adorable to witness. Another time he was making up a conversation between a couple about flash mobs when a flash mob _actually happened_ because some kid was asking his girlfriend to prom.

            “Oh yeah, I remember that in the news!”

            “Imagine my surprise! I thought I had super powers!”

            “What did you do?” Markus laughed.

            “Well, I said that the next couple was going to come up and give me a billion dollars, but that didn’t happen,” Simon explained.

            “A billion dollars huh? But then you wouldn’t be here anymore, and I wouldn’t be able to sketch you,” Markus smiled.

            “No, I’d still be here,” Simon said, warmth spreading to his face. “I’d donate most of it and use the rest to help out my siblings. I’d also use some of it for advertising to put the shop I work at on the map or something like that. Besides, I couldn’t give up one of my favorite hobbies.”

            “Where do you work?”

            “I work at a florist not too far from here. I loved your flower sketches by the way. Have I already said that? I’m sorry, but it’s true,” Simon explained. “I love carnations, they’re my favorite.”

            “I like them too. There are so many different kinds,” Markus agreed.  
            “And they all mean different things,” Simon continued. “It’s amazing.”

            “Is there a kind I’m not supposed to like?” Markus asked.

            “Yellow ones, especially as a gift,” Simon said. “Yellow carnations are a sign of rejection, dislike, and other negative things.”

            “Then I should be glad I’ve never gotten them,” Markus laughed.

            “Indeed.”

            “I’m sorry to ask this, Simon, but I’m going to have to concentrate really hard now, so I can’t talk really,” Markus said. “But please don’t look around. I’m going to draw your eyes, and some fine details on your face.”

            “Oh, alright.”

            The two fell silent for a while, and suddenly Simon felt very nervous. For the first time during this whole afternoon, Simon was painfully aware of how intensely Markus was looking at him. He felt very self-conscious as Markus studied him. Every hair, every inch of his skin, every bit of Simon was under the microscope, or so he felt. Did he look okay? Was his skin clear enough? Did he have anything stuck in his teeth? His racing thoughts caused him to start to shift in his seat a little bit. Suddenly, Markus put down his pencil spoke up.

            “Please don’t feel nervous, Simon. You look fine, I promise.”

            “Sorry, I’m just not used to being stared at or studied like this…”

            “Really? I’d be sure you get a lot of stares with looks like yours.”

            “No, not really,” Simon smiled shyly, “and if people do, I don’t really notice it.”

            “So no girlfriend?” Markus asked.

            “Nope, no girlfriend, no boyfriend, no partner, nothing,” Simon admitted as he put his hand on the back of his neck. “Just me.”

            Markus laughed. He turned the book around, and Simon stared.

            “I look like that? Wow…” Simon smiled, trying to quell his rising excitement. The drawing was complete, and it was stunning. Markus had turned Simon into a work of art. Sure, he’d seen himself in the mirror every morning when he woke up, but he had never seen himself through the eyes of another. The drawing was careful, considerate, detailed, wonderful. For the first time in a long time, Simon had believed himself to beautiful. Markus spoke up, but Simon was still fixated on the picture. Markus tapped his shoulder and spoke again.

            “So, what do you think?”

            “It’s beautiful.”

            “Thank you, you are, but that’s not what I asked,” Markus laughed again.

            “Ah, my apologies, could you repeat yourself?” Simon asked.

            “I was wondering if you’d like to get coffee sometime, as my way of thanking you for allowing me to draw you,” Markus smiled.

            “I couldn’t impose, I feel like I need to do something for you since you took the time to draw me!” Simon replied.

            “Well, I’d also like to get to know you better,” Markus explained. “You know…like a date.”

            “Oh…oh!”

            “Ah, maybe it was a dumb idea to-”

            “I’d love to,” Simon said. “I’d love to see more of your work one day too!”

            “Great!” Markus sighed in relief. “May I have your number so we can find a time to do so?”

            He handed Simon the pencil and the sketchbook, and Simon wrote his number next to the picture.


	2. Ten Questions

            After a long day of work, luck would favor Simon as he walked home that rainy afternoon. Kara had scolded him when he said that he forgot his umbrella again. Truth was, he didn’t own one, even though people said he would catch a cold. Simon absolutely loved the rain. There was something calming and reassuring about the gentle droplets on his skin, the rain making his hair damp, and the smell. Oh, the smell of rain was one of Simon’s favorite things. The sound of the steady downpour seemed to drown out the world around him, demanding attention, reverence. As he was walking along, he felt the faint buzz in his pocket, so he stopped underneath the nearest overhang before pulling his phone out. The sketch smiled at him from the screen, along with a simple message:

            _Looking forward to seeing the real you again!_

Simon beamed as he typed a reply. It had been about a week since he had met Markus at the mall, and ever since then, they had exchanged a text here or there. Markus would send Simon pictures of the studio, but never the works in progress, as Markus explained that Simon would have to see those in person. Simon would reply in turn with pictures of the various flowers they had for sale, but whenever Markus asked to see some of Simon’s arrangements, Simon said no for the same reason. This was the first time that they had even brought up the date.

            _When are you free?_

Immediately the three dots popped up.

            _I’m free now, if you are._

            Simon paused. It was ages since he had gone on a date, and he’d been terrified just by the thought of it. There was something about Markus that Simon found intriguing. If Simon were the artist, there was no way he would have approached Markus about the candid drawing. There was a boldness, but he seemed genuine, and there was a curiosity that Simon could not deny. In their brief conversation that day, Markus seemed to know what to say to entice Simon, or to reassure him when he began to feel nervous. Whether he was just easy to read, or if that was a talent Markus had, Simon had still been captivated by it. Simon typed out his reply.

            _I have to stop by my apartment first, but would you like to go to dinner instead of coffee?_

            Fridays were supposed to be lazy. Simon knew the rules. Fridays were for staying in and ordering pizza and listening to music he had heard a thousand times over while he read books he’d devoured time and time again. Ever since he started living on his own, that was the routine Simon had fallen into. Fridays were supposed to be his day to be lazy, but this Friday was evolving into something else. The more he thought about seeing Markus again, he began to worry. Simon began to get nervous, and he started pacing under the overhang. This particular Friday night was not going to be lazy at all, but very stressful.

            No, not stressful. Exhilarating.

            _Sounds good to me! You name the time and the place, and I’ll be there._

            Simon felt the color rise to his cheeks. He reached a hand out from under the overhang, and let the rain fall onto his palm, each drop giving him courage and banishing his nerves. He stepped out and lifted his face to the sky, relaxing as the autumn rain kissed his cool skin. He took a deep breath, and skipped a step or two as he continued his walk home. Before he put his phone back in his pocket, he sent one last message to a friend.

            _Hey, I’m calling in a favor._

*                      *                      *

            “I have reservations for 8 o’clock under Lambert,” Simon announced as he walked to the hostess podium. A crowd of people, hovering nearby all sighed as they heard his declaration. The restaurant was always packed, but people still showed up to swoop in and take any empty tables due to cancelled reservations. Luckily, Simon knew the owner.

            “Of course sir, if you’ll be so kind as to follow me to your table,” the shorter red haired woman nodded at him. She grabbed two, double sided menus from behind the podium and gestured for Simon to follow. Her black dress flowed with every step she took, and several gold bangles jingled as they went along. They twisted and turned through several tables, making their way closer and closer to the assigned place. She tried to make some small talk with Simon as they crossed the room, as so not to make the entire walk in silence.

            “Mr. Lambert, your reservations were for two people, are you expecting someone to join you?” she inquired politely.

            “Yes, my date will be here soon.”

            “Long day at the office?”

            “Possibly, but traffic is also crazy.”

            “I see. Your server will be with you shortly,” the hostess said as she waved her arm and directed him towards one of the two empty seats at the table. It was one right next to the window, with a single candle in the center. She smiled politely as she turned, her black heels clacked hard against the wooden floor when she made her way back to the entrance of the restaurant. No sooner than her return to the podium was she addressed by more patrons, begging for an open table.

            He draped his blazer of the back of his seat and pulled out his phone. Using the camera, he checked to make sure that his tie was on straight, three…no…four times over. He ran a hand through his blonde hair, fixing some of the strands which had fallen out of place. No matter how many times he did his hair today, it just never seemed to stay.  He stared back into his light blue…wait…was that a smudge? Maybe his tie didn’t look like it matched his shirt. Were those his ripped pants? He began to panic.

            No.

            Relax.

            After a few, self-reassuring words and deep breaths, he began to calm down. Simon already had enough on his mind, so there was no need to pile on more stress. Placing the phone back in his pocket, he smoothed his other hand over the corner of the white table cloth, feeling the silky texture slip effortlessly between his thumb and index finger. Simon repeated this a few more times, trying to focus on anything other than what was to come. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair and found himself staring up at the chandelier in the middle of the room. As he counted the crystals, he was torn away unsuspectedly by a sweet voice.

            “Good evening sir,” the woman began. “Can I start you with something to drink?” Her short, brown hair was tied up in an elegant bun. Black high heels matched that of the hostess, and her uniform was immaculate, without a single wrinkle or stain on it. She pulled out her pen and a small note pad, flipping open to an empty page, and awaited his order.

            “Uhhh…water please, and I’ll have a glass of Cabernet,” Simon requested, picking at the cuff on his sleeve as he did so. He glanced over the drink menu, pausing to look at some of the titles of the different bottles in stock, before shaking his head. He didn’t want to order the wrong thing for Markus. She nodded, marking down the choice before she spoke up again.

            “Have you made your selection for the first course yet, sir?” she asked politely.

            “Oh…um…sorry, I’m still waiting for someone,” Simon sighed. “They’ll be here soon, if that’s okay.”

            “Perfect,” she smiled. “I’ll be right back with your drinks.”

            As the solitude came back, so did the nerves. Every few moments, he found himself triple checking his pockets, checking to see that their contents were still there. He traced the visible outline of his phone on the outside of his pocket before Simon felt a faint vibration. He slipped it out, and his face was faintly illuminated by the screen. On it, a short message was displayed.

_Sorry I’m running late, Simon! I had to park a little farther away, be there in a sec!_

            He tapped out a reply, deleting the message and retyping it again and again before he finally settled on an adequate response:

_Don’t worry about it, I’m at a table by the window._

            Simon hit the send button and pushed the phone back into his pocket. Now, every person he could see outside the door added to his growing anxiety. Simon couldn’t do it. There was still time to change his mind and run. With every passing second, he recalculated his options and reevaluated his possible escape routes. The front door was too risky, and the bathroom window was too cliché. Maybe he could head back through the kitchen. No, even if he knew the owner, that was still off limits.

            Then he saw Markus.

            Markus stood by the entrance, a hand on the back of his neck, and a nervous look on his face. He looked over towards the window, and Simon waved. As Markus saw Simon, his whole body seemed to relax, and he strode over towards the table. His black jacket was well tailored to his body, and his tie was a light blue to match his eyes. Or, well, one of them. Simon stood up and pulled the chair out for Markus as he reached the table. Markus pulled Simon in for a quick hug, patting him on the back one time before sitting down.

            “It’s so good to see you, Simon. Hopefully I didn’t make you wait too long for me.”

            “Oh no, not at all,” Simon smiled as he took his own seat. “I would have ordered a drink for you, but I didn’t want to pick something you don’t like.”

            “What are you having?” Markus asked.

            “I’m having a glass of Cab, but I haven’t decided on food yet,” Simon said.

            “That sounds nice,” Markus replied. “Really, I enjoy pretty much anything that isn’t brussels sprouts.”

            “Now now, even grown men have to eat their vegetables,” Simon smiled as he wagged his finger back and forth.

            “Aww, I don’t wanna,” Markus laughed. “Anything but brussels sprouts!”

            “Fair enough, they taste terrible anyways,” Simon said. It was at this moment that the waitress came back with Simon’s glasses of water and wine. She placed both down gently on the table before greeting Markus and pulling back out her small order booklet.

            “May I get you something to drink as well, sir?”

            “Cabernet sounds lovely, thank you.”

            “Excellent, and do we need any more time here to decide on food?”

            “Um, well-” Simon started.

            “Well actually, I’ve never been to this restaurant before, so I don’t know what’s recommended. I’ll have whatever he’s having,” Markus smiled.

            Uh oh.

            Simon looked over the menu again. Suddenly every item was a land mine. What if he chose wrong? What if Markus was allergic to something? What if…what if…no. It was just food, and as long as it didn’t have brussels sprouts, he was sure Markus would enjoy it. He ended up selecting a house salad for the first course, and a rich filet mignon for the main entrée.

            “And the cook of that?”

            “Medium for me,” Simon said.

            “Medium for me too, thank you,” Markus agreed.

            “Wonderful. I’ll be back with your salads shortly,” the waitress said as she turned around and headed back towards the kitchen.

            “I hope that was okay,” Simon said.

            “It sounds delicious,” Markus smiled. “Don’t worry, if I was ordering for myself, I might as well have picked the same thing.”

            “Oh, good,” Simon sighed in relief, placing a hand over his chest. “Sorry, it’s just been a long time since I’ve been on a date. I don’t really know how to do this anymore.”  
            “Does anyone ever?”

            “I suppose not, no,” Simon laughed.

            “I have an idea,” Markus smiled. “It’s kind of cheesy, but it’s a game I like to play with my friends.”

            “Oh?” Simon leaned forward in his chair. “What kind of a game?”

            “It’s something to get to know each other better,” Markus explained. “It’s Ten Questions.”

            “I’ve heard of it before, but I don’t know the rules,” Simon said.

            “It’s simple. We take turns asking each other questions, and they can be as simple or as complicated as you want them to be. However, no repeat questions, and if you absolutely refuse to answer, you lose,” Markus explained. “We can decide together what happens if someone ends up losing later.”

            “Alright, that sounds fun,” Simon smiled. “Since you came up with the idea, you can start.”

            “All on me then, alright let me think,” Markus raised his hand to his chin as he stared at Simon. This stare was different from the one at the mall. Markus looked him over, studying him once more, but there was a playfulness, a challenge in his eyes, a competitive spirit, or a fire of some sort evident in his look. “Well, we already know that you like classical music and piano compositions, so do you yourself have any musical talent?”

            “I used to play piano, long ago,” Simon explained. “My parents had this beautiful baby grand in our study, but when I moved out, I couldn’t afford to buy my own piano, and the baby grand couldn’t fit in my apartment.”  
            “Oh no,” Markus frowned. “If you sat down at a piano, could you still play?”

            “Yes, but it would take me a little bit of time to get back to where I used to be at.”

            “I’d like to hear you play,” Markus smiled.

            “Maybe one day you will,” Simon smiled back. “My turn, what’s your favorite art medium?”

            “Ouch, you’re really going to make me choose?”

            “Definitely.”

            “Well, in terms of mediums, I like oil paintings. They’re something beautiful in the ways the colors blend on the canvas. I could work on oil paintings for days and never get tired. Every time I think I’ve done all I can, I find a new way to layer and arrange the colors that’s something I’ve never seen before. I like most mediums, as long as it’s not sculpting,” Markus laughed. “I’m a terrible sculptor. I’ve tried my hand at it before, but it just wasn’t for me.”

            “The only time I sculpted was clay pots in elementary school,” Simon snickered.

            “Yeah, that’s about what mine looked like,” Markus said. “Not my best work.”

            “I’m sure it was better than you think,” Simon replied.

            “Probably, though I think I’m the least capable judge of my own work,” Markus explained. “I can feel it, but you can never tell if your work will be popular or scornful.”

            “I suppose…oh well. Gimme your best shot.”

            “My best shot, on your second question? Simon,” Markus smirked, “we’ve got to work up to that. Get you nice and warmed up. What’s your favorite book?”

            “Oh come on, that might as well have been a killing blow,” Simon laughed. “How can I choose?”

            “Conceding so early?” Markus teased.

            “No way, pretty boy, I’m in it to win it,” Simon shot back.

            “Pretty boy? I like it,” Markus smirked. Simon felt the color rise to his cheeks.

            “I-I don’t know, I still like your name better. It’s a good name,” Simon said as he rubbed the back of his head.

            “Thank you,” Markus said. “You’re definitely stalling but thank you.”

            “Fine,” Simon sighed. “I love the classics, but I guess if I had to pick one, I’m going to have to go with a book from my childhood. _The Phantom Tollbooth_ was what really got me into reading in the first place. If I didn’t like that book, I might have found one at some point, but that was the first book I remember loving.”

            “An interesting choice, but I can see the reasoning behind it.”

            “Thanks for your approval,” Simon said as he reached across the table and placed his hand on Markus’ forearm.

            A few minutes later, they started receiving their food. They continued playing their game all through the dinner, definitely going over the suggested 10 questions, but Simon just couldn’t stop. There were so many things that he wanted to know about Markus, but unfortunately Markus beat him to those questions. As the questions continued to flow, their conversation never dulled. Forks and knives clinked on plates, as generous sips of wine were to be had. Any nerves Simon had at the beginning of the night were completely gone. Something about Markus just made him seem at ease. He could relax and be honest, let his guard down, because Markus made it easy. His voice, his body language, his mannerisms, all of them welcomed Simon.

            As the evening continued on, Simon started to notice some more of Markus’ tendencies. Any time that Markus sensed he had an advantage or an upper hand in the game, he would quirk up an eyebrow and lean on his right elbow. Questions that put Markus deep in thought would result in him rubbing the top of his head gently while he pondered his answers carefully. If he was embarrassed, he would start to sink into his chair a little, but he wouldn’t block his face from view. In fact, with every question Simon asked, Markus seemed to be open. He was also a very expressive speaker, gesticulating vividly as he got excited about a particular story or answer. After finishing their meal, there was a playful back and forth about the bill before Simon eventually won out.

            “Consider it a commission for your sketch,” Simon explained.

            “But you modeled for me after I asked, and I was the one who asked you out on a date,” Markus countered.

            “Yes, but you said coffee. The dinner was my idea, I insist,” Simon said, leaning closer.

            “Okay, but I’ve got it next time,” Markus smirked. They left a generous tip before they left the restaurant. As Simon turned towards his apartment, Markus grabbed his arm.

            “The parking lot is the other way,” Markus stated. “Did you walk here?”

            “I did,” Simon smiled. “I don’t live that far from here.”

            “Would you like a ride home? I insist,” Markus offered.

            “Sure,” Simon happily accepted. As they approached Markus’ black BMW, Markus walked ahead and opened the passenger door for Simon. Simon thanked him and took his seat inside the car. It was nice and neat on the inside, with a Macintosh air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror. Markus climbed into the driver’s seat and turned on the car. He pulled out his phone for a moment, turned on the speakers, and within seconds, a familiar tune played.

            “I hope this is alright,” Markus explained. “When you let me sketch you, you played some Chopin for me, so I thought you might like this.”

            “Everyone loves Clair de Lune,” Simon smiled. “It’s particularly wonderful on nights like tonight.”

            Their drive was mostly in silence, as Simon couldn’t help but slip into the music, his fingers instinctively playing sections of the pieces that he could remember on his thighs. Because of his distraction, Simon almost missed a few of the turns, but after a few minutes, the pair arrived at Simon’s apartment. Markus got out of the car first and hurried around to the other side to open the door for Simon.

            “Such a gentleman,” Simon laughed as he held out his hand. Markus took it gently, and Simon stepped out of the car. They smiled at one another, and Simon could once again feel the color come to his face. He shut the door behind himself, but their hands remained together. Simon thought for a moment before he laced his fingers properly between Markus’. Together they walked into the empty lobby of Simon’s apartment building, and over to his mailbox. Simon used his free hand to pull out the key, but there was nothing inside the mailbox, as per usual. Still, it was something he liked to check every day. Bills never arrived on different days, but he never knew when he would get an unexpected letter. Simon studied Markus. His pristine apparel, the faint smell of an intoxicating cologne, his gentle smile, and the soft hand he still felt in his own. The pair stood in silence for a moment in front of the elevator, unsure of where to go from here.

            “I would invite you up for desert, but I left the cake I baked at work,” Simon sighed. “I can make something next time.”

            “I’d like that,” Markus smiled. “I have one last question for you, Simon, if you’d let me.”

            “Yes?”

            “Did…did you enjoy tonight?”

            Simon stopped for a moment. He unlaced his fingers from Markus’, and lifted Markus’ hand up to his mouth, gently kissing him on the top of his hand.

            “Definitely,” he whispered. He looked up at Markus, who for the first time of the night seemed to be the one turning red, which only made Simon blush furiously in return. He felt himself turning as red as a tomato, so he let go of Markus’ hand and covered his own face. “I’m sorry, that was really cheesy!”

            “Wait, wait, why are you reacting like that? I should be the one blushing!”

            “Ahh, I don’t know! You just looked really…ohh, I couldn’t help myself!”

            “Simon, it’s okay,” Markus laughed. In turn, Markus took Simon’s hand off of his face, and gently kissed it in the same way Simon just had, causing Simon to turn an even darker shade of crimson. “Now we’re even.”

            They bade one another good night, but not before assuring each other that they’d see one another again really soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Sorry this took me so long to upload. I've been really busy with work, and I tried writing this again and again, but I just didn't like how the date was turning out. I'm still not that sure about it, but hopefully you all liked it! Also, I do have a tumblr account, so if you want to send me questions or just say hi, you can reach me at smol--jelly.tumblr.com ! Please let me know what you think in comments and stuff, as it really motivates me and helps me work on the story, and I'll be back soon with chapter 3~!


	3. Sweet Sensations

            “Simon?”

            Just another day in the shop. Simon had already filled his quota for the day of arrangements and placed several orders, as well as tend to the flowers displayed proudly throughout the store. The rain from earlier had stopped, and all pedestrians who took shelter in the shop had bought a few flowers out of gratitude for allowing them to stay inside during the unsuspected tempest. With the customers gone and the hour hand drawing ever closer to 5 PM, Simon’s shift would be coming to a close very soon. He’d surrendered his mind to daydreaming, which these days was centered around Markus.

            Ever since the dinner a few weeks back, Simon couldn’t wait to hear from Markus. Whenever he was off the clock, be it on break or relaxing at home, Simon would wait by his phone with baited breath for another missive from Markus. He never had to wait long at all. They had been chatting practically nonstop, and had already gotten together a few more times for coffee in the mornings. With Simon’s hours in the shop and Markus’ unpredictable sleep schedule, as well as studio hours, they’d gotten coffee a few times before parting their separate ways to take on the day. Those days, it wasn’t the caffeine that kept Simon light on his feet.

            But tonight, Markus was going to come over to Simon’s apartment for dinner. Simon had finally gotten the time to run by the store for new baking ingredients, and before he could even think it over he was inviting Markus for dinner and some desert. He had been so excited to show off his baking skills to Markus, and Markus agreed almost instantly. Simon continued to space out as his mind wandered through the recipes he knew, pondering which ones Markus would like and which ones he would dislike. Maybe Markus liked more bitter treats? No, he definitely had a sweet tooth. Oh, but what to make? The possibilities were endless.

            “Si? Hello? Earth to Simon, come in Simon!”

            “Huh? Oh, sorry Kara, I guess I was spacing out a bit,” Simon blushed as he rubbed the back of his neck. “What did you need?”

            “Oh nothing, I was just wondering when we’re going to meet this special someone of yours,” Kara said as she poked Simon in the arm.

            “W-what makes you think that I’m dating someone?” Simon stuttered, backing away slightly from his friend, only to bump his lower back into the counter. He was trapped!

            “Come on, Si, we’ve been friends for years. I can read you like a book,” Kara laughed. She put her hand on his shoulder, and it was at that moment that Simon knew he could no longer escape. “So, how long have you two been dating?

            “About a month now, I guess,” Simon began. He told her about how they met, and Kara’s face seemed to light up at the story. He spared no detail when he talked about their dinner date, and Kara chimed in here and there as she expressed her approval about Simon’s food choices and restaurant pick. As Simon recounted the evening and told her about their semi-regular coffee mornings, neither of them heard the bell ring above the front door. “But yeah, that’s pretty much it. We have another date tonight at 6 o’clock, though and I’m a little nervous.”

            “I see, I see,” Kara nodded. “So, what do you like about him?”

            “What’s not to like?” Simon smiled. “He’s cool, he’s handsome, he’s talented, seriously Kara you need to see his art!” Simon reached into his pocket to pull out his phone, and immediately found the sketch Markus had made. “He’s an incredible artist!”

            “Oh wow,” Kara said, “that’s so beautiful! That’s what he drew when you first met?”

            “Yeah,” Simon beamed. “I was really nervous, and a little embarrassed because he caught me watching the crowd, but he was really nice and the way he spoke, I couldn’t say no.”

            “Careful, Si,” Kara’s voice dropped. “You remember what happened last time…”

            “No…he’s different,” Simon sighed. “I…I can’t explain it. I know we just started dating recently, and sure it’s only natural to want to make him happy, but I feel like he actually cares for me. This time it’ll be different, I’ll be okay.”

            “Okay, well as long as you seem to be fine with it,” Kara resigned, “what else?”

            “Um, he likes some of the same things I do, like we have the same taste in music! But seriously Kara, when you meet him, you’ll see,” Simon said matter-of-factly. “There’s just something about him. I’m sure he could get along famously with a brick wall. He could charm the pants off a fly, he could-”

            “Has he done that to you already?” Kara smirked.

            “No! Heavens no!” Simon blushed furiously. “No, he’s taking it slowly, which I really appreciate. I don’t want to rush into things like that.”

            “Wow, you’re as red as those roses we got yesterday,” Kara laughed. “Good ol’ Simon. Well, why don’t you go and clock out early so you can go get ready for your date. I’ll hold down the fort. Luther left the timeclock up on the computer in the back when he left to go get Alice, so you can just use that computer instead of having to do all of that up here.”

            “Alright,” Simon smiled. “Thanks Kara.”

            Simon opened the door back to the breakroom and began to gather his things from his locker. As the door shut behind him, he heard Kara welcome a customer at the register. Simon snagged his keys, his coat, and sat down at the computer to clock out. Simon punched in his number, and hit the button, sighing when he saw the “Clocked Out” announcement in the middle of the screen. Now he just had to stop by the market to get the last few ingredients he needed for dinner before he could head home. He pulled out his phone and checked for any new messages from Markus, but there weren’t any. Simon paused for a moment before he decided to call Markus. He heard a ring, and then a second, before Markus picked up.

            “Hey Simon,” Markus answered, and Simon could practically hear the smile through the phone. “How’s it going?”

            “Great!” Simon answered. “I just clocked out, and I need to swing by the market before I get home, but other than that, I’m looking forward to our date!”

            “Sounds good to me,” Markus said. “I’m out right now finishing up some errands, and then I’ll run home to get some bottles of wine I picked up for today. I hope you don’t mind, I feel bad that you’re doing the cooking tonight, but I’m really excited and I thought that you’d enjoy a nice bottle of wine or two!”

            “Haha, well you’ll be helping me,” Simon said. “Don’t think you’re getting off kitchen helper duty that easily.”

            “I can’t promise I’m any good, I’m not the best chef,” Markus chuckled.

            “That’s alright, I’m sure it’ll still taste just fine,” Simon pointed out. “In fact, I think the food will taste even better if we make it together.”

            “That was really cheesy, Simon. You know that, right?” Markus teased, causing Simon to turn a light shade of crimson.

            “You know you like it,” Simon shot back. “Or at least you haven’t acted like you don’t.”

            “Don’t worry, it’s pretty cute,” Markus said. “Hey, I’ve got to go, I just finished up at the store, but I’ll head over once I pick up the wine from my house. Does that sound alright, Si?”

            “Yeah, I’ll see you soon,” Simon agreed. “You know, it’s pretty funny, my friend Kara calls me Si.”

            “Is that so? Well, I’ll see you soon,” Markus said, and they both hung up.

            Simon stood up from the computer desk and began to walk towards the front of the store. As soon as he walked through the breakroom door, he was greeted by Kara’s rather excited face. She was trying to stifle her excitement over something, but Simon couldn’t quite figure out what it was. She just continued to rock back and forth on her toes and heels, humming ever higher until she finally broke her self-imposed silence. “It seems like tonight is a popular night to have a date.”

            “What are you talking about?” Simon chuckled nervously as Kara inched closer. “Did that customer have date plans tonight too?”

            “Oh, he might have,” Kara’s smile grew wider. “With someone named Simon, too.”

            “Wow, such a small world” Simon rolled his eyes.

            “Such a small world indeed,” Kara teased. “By the way, Markus wanted me to ask you what kind of wine you want him to bring that would pair well with your meal.”

            “I never said his…what…how…wait…” Simon stopped in his tracks as the dots began to connect. The realization hit him like a truck, and he lunged forward and grabbed Kara by the shoulders. “Wait a second! Was that customer Markus? What did he look like?! It could have been anybody!”

            “Freckles, buzz cut, two different-colored eyes…”

            “Oh my god.”

            “He bought you flowers.”

            “Oh my god.”

            “Good ones, too.”

            “Oh my GOD.”

            “Gotta say though, Si. You were right. He looks like a keeper,” Kara smiled, and Simon hurried out of the shop.

*                      *                      *

            “You were in the shop, and you didn’t think to tell me?” Simon blushed as soon as he opened the door for Markus. “How much did you hear?!”

            “Oh, only most of it,” Markus teased. “But I’ll have you know that the feeling is mutual, so you don’t need to feel embarrassed.”

            “Now I’m really embarrassed!” Simon cried out as he covered his face with his hands. “I thought we were alone! Oh, I’m going to get her one of these days, I swear.”

            “Well, if you want help with that, I’m totally in,” Markus smiled. “Oh, by the way, I got these for you! I was hoping you’d walk away from the register, so I could keep them a surprise. Hopefully your friend didn’t tell you what I got.”

            Simon lowered his hands and stared in amazement. Markus held a bouquet of 12 purple roses, accented by four white roses and seeded eucalyptus. Simon slowly took the bouquet, and Markus’ concern came through. “I hope they’re alright…your friend seemed to think that you would like them.”

            “You know what purple roses mean, right?”

            “I was hoping they meant something good,” Markus admitted. “Like I said, I don’t know too much about flowers, but now that I’m dating an expert I could try to learn a little bit more. If I remember, she said they meant something about…enhancement? Like you make things better!”

            “Oh, that’s very sweet,” Simon smiled as he hugged Markus with his free hand. “Close though, they actually stand for enchantment, love at first sight, like you’re caught under my spell or something.”

            “Oh, well I suppose that works just as well,” Markus smirked. “So…do you like them?”

            “They’re gorgeous, thank you,” Simon said graciously. “Why don’t you make yourself at home while I go find a vase for these, and then we can get to cooking!”

            “Yes, chef!”

            Simon’s apartment was a small, one-bedroom apartment, but it had all the space he had needed. His entryway led right into his living room, which had various shelves adorned with potted plants, a single couch, and a rather minimalistic television set up. His living room was adjacent to his kitchen, which was surprisingly modern and more spacious than Simon had expected upon moving in. He was able to fit a small table and two chairs for a dining area right next to the window, also accented by garden boxes.

            Simon walked back past the kitchen to his supply closet and selected a decorative vase from within, before bringing it to his kitchen and filling it with water. He cut the stems appropriately for the vase, and then tied the top of the vase with an accentuating ribbon. He carried it back to his bedroom and placed the roses on top of his dresser before he went back out to join Markus in the kitchen. Markus had removed his overcoat, and Simon had a moment to appreciate Markus’ apparel for the evening. He was dressed in a raglan shirt with a white torso and wine-red sleeves, and some dark washed jeans. The entire outfit hugged his frame nicely, showing off some of Markus’ assets. Simon smirked as he stepped in, and surprised Markus with a two-armed hug now that his hands were free.

            “I got you!”

            “Oh no! What are you going to do now that you’ve got me?”

            “Oh…I didn’t think this far in advance…” Simon laughed, “but I do believe I said something about helping me cook dinner!”

            “Okay, what do you have planned for us tonight?” Markus inquired. Simon started swaying side to side, while still holding fast to Markus’ waist. Markus matched Simon’s movement, chuckling the whole time.

            “Well, I know that these two are usually had together, but since we had turf last time, I was hoping you’d enjoy some surf,” Simon said. “So, I bought lobster tails. I hope that’s alright.”

            “Sounds delicious,” Markus replied. “What do you need me to do?”

            “You’ll make the bruschetta.”

            Simon untangled himself from Markus and started gathering the ingredients. Simon began prepping the tails and preheating the oven, as well as fire up a pan for some risotto on the side. He cut the shells and covered the tails in a combination of melted butter and spices so that it’d have a nice flavor and color when baked. Markus got busy to work dicing the tomatoes and slicing bread. A few times he called Simon over to ask if he was doing it right.

            “You want to dice the tomatoes a little more finely. Right now, you’re chunking them. Here, like this,” Simon instructed, and he placed his hands on top of Markus’. He guided Markus’ hands, and showed him just how finely he needed to dice the tomatoes, slowly, but precisely, so that he didn’t make a mess. After showing him the motions, Simon took his hands off, and watched Markus for a little bit. “See, perfect,” he smiled, as he turned his attention back to the risotto. As he turned back, he failed to notice the color in Markus’ cheeks, and the smile across his face. “Once you’ve finished with those, I have a decanter in the cabinet up here, if you want to decant the Chardonnay you brought.”

            “I thought you weren’t allowed to decant white wines,” Markus said. “Is my whole life a lie? I’ve only seen red wine decanted.”

            “It’s a personal preference, but white wines can still benefit from decanting,” Simon explained. “Especially Chardonnay, since it pours a little tight, but it can really benefit and be more aromatic if you decant it.”

            In no time at all, the duo had produced a fine dinner, and the aroma wafted throughout the apartment, watering both of their mouths. Simon took the risotto off the heat and removed the lobster tails from the oven. He asked Markus to grab some plates from the cabinet, which he brandished post haste. Simon placed the two tails on each plate respectively, and then plated the risotto, adding some garnish, before passing the plates to Markus, who selected the most appetizing of the bruschetta to put on the plates. Finally, Markus wiped the rims of the plates to clean off any excess juices and set them down on the counter.

            “Well, I have the table here, and I have the small couch out there,” Simon started. “You’ll have to excuse me, if I wasn’t in such a rush this afternoon I would have been able to set up.”

            “Simon, it’s fine,” Markus smiled. “We can eat dinner in here, and then later when we have desert we can sit out there. Your apartment is cozy, trust me it’s fine.”

            “Alright, could you set the table? I’ll pour the wine,” Simon said. Markus got busy setting the table while Simon cleaned out two already clean wine glasses. He gently poured the Chardonnay out of the decanter and brought the glasses over to the table. Simon set them down and returned with the plates of food not a second later. As Markus finished laying out the silverware and napkins, Simon pulled out a chair for Markus. “After you.”

            “Now look who is being such a gentleman,” Markus said. “Thank you, Simon.”

            Markus and Simon both sat down, and Markus raised his wine glass.

            “Cheers, to a wonderful meal and even better company.”

            “Cheers, to a great assistant and a better companion.”

            They made quick work of their meals, stopping to praise one another on their food. Simon could have sworn that he was as red as the bruschetta, but Markus had a similar response to the praise. They chatted idly about their days and the work that they had done over the past week. Simon had been busy with floral arrangements and ordering new shipments, same as always, but he’d also been reading a lot more fervently these days. Markus had several new ideas for works, but he didn’t want to rush them. It seemed as though he’d been getting more and more ideas as of recent, for reasons unknown to the both of them.

            “Perhaps it’s the season? Fall is my favorite,” Simon said. “It always puts me in a working mood.”

            “Really? Why is fall the best?”

            “Are you kidding me? Fluffy sweaters, spiced apple cider, pumpkin spiced everything, the colors of the leaves, the cool breeze, Halloween, I love it all,” Simon explained. “What’s your favorite season?”

            “Winter is mine,” Markus said. “I think I agree with you on the sweaters, but you can’t beat a walk through the snow at nighttime.”

            “You got me there,” Simon laughed.

            They finished up their dinner, and quickly cleaned up the kitchen so that Simon could set to work on dessert. Markus continued to pour glasses of wine for the both of them as he watched Simon mix the cake batter. In order to commemorate the cooler weather now that they were in the throes of autumn, Simon had suggested a pumpkin cake. Sure, it didn’t follow the dinner profile, but Markus seemed to be excited for it.

            “You’re not going to fill the pan?”

            “If I fill the pan, the cake will bake unevenly, and it will rise over the edge, making a mess out of my oven,” Simon explained.

            “Ah, I see,” Markus nodded.

            Simon popped the cake into the oven and whipped around. “I hope you like frosting, because I have a killer homemade recipe for cream cheese frosting!”

            “Oh boy, do I!” Markus perked up. Since Simon worked on the cake, he told Markus the instructions for the frosting. Within minutes, he had created a creamy yet smooth frosting for their cake. Markus was staring intently at the mixing bowl in his hands, and Simon rolled his eyes at him. Markus began to whimper, and Simon gave in.

            “Fine, you can lick the spoon,” Simon smiled.

            “Yes!”

            Simon turned his back briefly to Markus, so that he could get the cooling rack out from his cabinet. When he turned back, Markus surprised him by smearing a large glob of frosting on the side of Simon’s face, much to his surprise. “Markus!!”

            “Revolution!”

            “Oh, you are in for it now!”

            Simon grabbed his own mixing spoon, dipped it into the bowl, and then started smearing the frosting all over Markus, who laughed heartily. Their once noble baking attempts had fallen into chaos due to weak wills and a few glasses of Chardonnay. Simon took cover behind one of the chairs at his dining table, while Markus used a baking stone as an improvised shield from underneath the counter. After a few minutes, Simon surrendered.

            “Okay, okay! I give up!” Simon raised his hands in defeat. “I’m going to go get cleaned up while you think about the terms of my surrender. Once I’m done, you can use my shower if you want to clean yourself up as well and I have some spare clothes, so you can borrow some of mine. I doubt you want to walk around in that frosted canvas until morning.”

            “Until morning? You mean?”

            “Well I didn’t think you’d be going home tonight. We’ve both had something to drink, and it is the weekend,” Simon said, color rising to his cheeks. “If that’s alright.”

            “Yeah! I mean yes! Sorry, yes, thank you,” Markus blurted out excitedly.

            “Okay, while I get cleaned keep an eye on the cake. If the timer goes off, stick a skewer into the cake in a few places, especially the middle. If it’s clean when you pull it out, the it’s done.”

            “Got it,” Markus said.

            Simon went back and rinsed off thoroughly, making sure to get all of the frosting off of his face and arms. What was he thinking? Did he seriously just turn this into a night with Markus, and Markus had said yes?! Simon blushed furiously, the heat of the shower water doing nothing to remedy the situation. He shut off the water and toweled off, laying another towel out for Markus to use. Towel wrapped around his waist, he left the bathroom and stood in the doorway of his bedroom.

            “Markus, the shower is open for you, it’s this door here on the left in the hallway.”

            “Alright, the cake still has a few minutes, you got it?”

            “Definitely.”

            Simon closed his bedroom door and got dressed. He put on his favorite home sweater, without thinking, and a pair of black boxer briefs. His sweater was cream colored, and so huge that he had to wear it off his shoulders, but it came down to the middle of his thighs. It was so large that he always neglected pants or shorts. He was most comfortable in his underwear and the expanse of cotton that was the cream sweater. Kara had gotten him the sweater as a gift for his birthday last year, and had it not been for the summer temperatures, he’d wear it year-round. When he emerged from his bedroom, he could hear the water running in the bathroom. He knocked on the door gently, and Markus called out.

            “Yeah, Simon?”

            Simon cracked the door.

            “Hey, when you’re done, just pick out anything to wear. My clothes are in my room, but I don’t know what you’d want to wear, so take your pick.”

            “Sounds good to me.”

            Simon closed the door, and immediately he heard the timer go off in the kitchen. He hurried to check the cake, and sure enough it was baked thoroughly. He pulled the pan out and flipped the cake onto the cooling rack. It would still be a little bit of time before they could ice the cake, but it smelled heavenly. Simon cleaned up the bowls that they had used for the batter and turned off the oven before pouring himself and Markus another glass of wine each. As he set Markus’ glass down, he raised his own to his lips before turning to see Markus standing in the doorway.

            “Holy shit...”

            “Oh my...”

            “You look…”

            “Look at you…”

            Markus was wearing one of Simon’s large black sweatshirts with an oversized front pocket, and sleeves that covered his hands. Markus had also opted for the no pants route, and was sporting a pair of wine-red boxer briefs, which matched the raglan shirt he had been wearing all night. Simon put his own glass down on the counter, and picked his jaw up off the floor before finally putting enough words together to form a sentence.

            “Did you find something you like?” Simon asked.

            “Definitely,” Markus replied, wide eyed. “Oh, and I found some good clothes too.”

            “You look very cool and comfortable,” Simon smiled.

            “Never mind me,” Markus blurted out as he rapidly closed the distance between Simon and himself. He put one of his hands, still in the sleeve on the side of Simon’s face, while the other found Simon’s waist. “You look beautiful, my god.”

            “My god?” Simon blushed furiously. “I thought I was the one who lost to you, gods don’t surrender or lose to their parishioners.”

            “Simon, I’m serious,” Markus said. “You look amazing. That’s what you have to do since you lost the Great Frosting War of 2018! I _have_ to draw you again, I…I don’t want to forget this. Look at you!”

            Simon was painfully aware of how close they were. His face was flushed, but even through the sleeve and his own sweater, the place where Markus’ hand was on his waist was feverish. Simon’s breath began to hitch as Markus seemed to pull him closer. They were roughly the same build, but Markus was slightly more muscular and broad than Simon. Simon himself was nothing to scoff at, but he could only focus on the heat coming from Markus’ body, the faint haze from the wine, and the distant aroma of his oaky cologne.

            He paused. Even though they’d been dating for a month now, they still hadn’t actually kissed. Not that Simon didn’t want to, he really did. Simon wanted to take things slow, which was painful at times. It was only natural for Simon to picture it during their time together. What kind of kisser was Markus? How would his lips feel on Simon’s? How would Markus’ hands feel?

            Simon gently raised his own hands to Markus. He placed his right hand on Markus’ shoulder and softly caressed the back of Markus’ neck. His left hand began to snake around Markus’ waist, finding his lower back, and pausing, as if asking for permission to be there. But Markus didn’t pull away. Markus’ own arm wrapped around Simon, pulling them together. He poked his right hand out through his sleeve and it resumed its place on the side of Simon’s face. Simon closed his eyes slowly as Markus’ thumb stroked the corner of Simon’s mouth, and eventually came to a halt in the middle of his lower lip. Simon tensed up for a moment, as he felt his neck get hotter, and his heart hammered in his chest. He looked at Markus, his eyes searching for an answer that his body provided.

            “Markus…” Simon breathed.

            “Simon…can I kiss you?”

            Simon nodded.

            Markus closed the distance between them and softly pressed his lips against Simon’s. The hand that had been cradling Simon’s face moved through his blond hair, gently running through the soft strands with care. Simon pulled Markus closer, their bodies flushed against one another. Hands carefully dug under fabric and found skin. Every place they touched felt feverish long after. Their bodies moved together as if they had done so many times before. Simon’s lungs burned, so they separated a moment to steal breaths before diving back in to be swept up in one another.

            Simon and Markus stepped towards the wall. Simon’s back hit it with a small thud, but he was quickly pinned up against it. They were about the same height, but Markus had a slight edge, which he held over Simon like the hands he currently held above Simon’s head. Markus’ eager mouth charted constellations of kisses along Simon’s jaw and neck, before returning to his soft mouth. They became hungrier. Kisses more starved, hands more desperate, minds blank, letting themselves be lost in the moment.

            “God, you’re so beautiful,” Markus whispered. He laced his fingers through Simon’s and leaned in closer. When Markus kissed Simon, it was everything. It was every symphony he had ever heard, every raindrop that touched his skin, every sugar storm that dusted his essence. Markus held Simon close to him and whispered sweet nothings into the nape of his neck. “I’m sorry, please forgive me. I’ve wanted to do that for a while now.”

            Simon started laughing as they separated from one another. “You don’t have to apologize, it was really nice.”

            “You think so?”

            “Yes,” Simon said. “Really, I liked it. Was…was it good for you too?”

            “Yes,” Markus smiled. “It really was.”

            The two of them stood in silence for a moment, before Markus spoke up.

            “Can I kiss you again?”

            “Later,” Simon smirked. “We have a dessert to eat.”

            “Aww, I want you for dessert,” Markus teased.

            “Slow down there, Markus, cake first, then kisses,” Simon laughed.

            “I can live with that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I'm really sorry my update schedule has been so inconsistent...I'm in the middle of a move, and it's not easy to find time to sit down and work on the story, even though I really want to! I'm sorry if this feels rushed because of that, but I wanted to put something out. Thank you to everyone who has read the story so far, and to all of you who have left kudos and comments, I can't thank you enough! Y'all really motivate me to keep writing, and I appreciate your kind words! Please let me know what you all think of this chapter, or of the story in general! As always, if you want to chat about the fic or about DBH in general, you can connect with me at smol--jelly.tumblr.com , and hopefully once I get settled in, my update schedule will be more regular. Thank you all again, and I'll see you soon with another update!

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! Thank you for taking the time to read my first chapter in the story. I really wanted to write something fluffy, so I apologize if some of the characters were a little OOC. Additionally, since I haven't read any fanfiction, I'm not really sure if there's an "accepted" last name for Simon, so I just made one up based on the letters in his serialization, PL600. Please let me know what you think, as any commentary and kudos really helps me out to make corrections and motivates me to work on more chapters. I'll see you all very soon with chapter 2!


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